What is the best way to learn facts and dates?

The best way to learn facts is in small chunks over a long period of time, so your need to organise your revision well before the exams start. Break the course up into sections (e.g. the Russian economy under Alexander II) and organise all your notes from class in the same way - this will save you valuable revision time closer to the exam. While you are doing this, it can also be helpful to write down all the really important facts on a single piece of paper, to make sure that you don’t forget them. Referring back to these numbers and dates repeatedly is a bit boring, but vital if you want to learn them reliably.